


harder then you thought

by i_honestly_dont_know



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anyways, Drug Dealing, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Keith & Lance (Voltron) Friendship, M/M, Movie Theater Date, Mutual Pining, New York City, Ok bye, Recreational Drug Use, Vine refrences, also what constitutes as the line between teen and mature?, fuck that shit, horror movie refrence, i decided to make lance and keith adopted brothers as a joke against broganes, idfk, im not sorry, is anyone still reading this?, it's not graphic but its there, its fine, its heavily based on The Prodigy, ive never done this so idk how much to tag, keith's dad is refrenced, nvm, soooo, spoiler but Lance's date is a drug dealer, they quote vines, theyre idiots, theyre watching a movie about a possessed kid, uh there is a reference to a dog being killed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2020-01-23 05:26:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18543190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_honestly_dont_know/pseuds/i_honestly_dont_know
Summary: Long story short: Lance is going on a movie date with someone he met online and wants Keith to back him up. Keith doesn't want to go alone and asks Shiro to tag along (as friends). Lance's mystery date brings edible marijuana with them and gives it to Shiro and Keith. Hilarity ensues as they struggle to pay attention to the horror movie on the screen and keep their hidden romantic feelings to themselves.





	harder then you thought

**Author's Note:**

> A lovely human, @wallmakerrelict on twitter, made art for this. I don't know how to link something on here but I'll figure it out.  
> Find my bad opinions on twitter @okalexandur
> 
> This is for a thing. I have never done such a thing. Be honest, please. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Translations for the Spanish at the bottom.
> 
> edited for minor things on 11/4/19

“Is that okay Señora? Keith and I are going to meet them on Saturday after lunch.” Keith looks up at Lance surprised.

“We are?” Keith asks. Lance’s mother laughs.

“Mijito did you even ask him first?” She pats Keith as an apology for her son’s antics. “¿Y la misa? You know we like to go to the 5 o’clock mass. Will you be back in time?”

“Probablemente,” Lance mumbles.

“Lance?” He hums and picks at his food instead of facing his mother’s judgment. "Where are you going?”

“Just to the movies. I want to see this new movie at one, it’s about a Prodigy.”

“Don’t be late to mass okay? And have Keith bring that friend of his, the handsome one he always talks about.” Lance’s sisters giggle at Keith’s blush, whispering in a mockingly dramatic tone ‘El novio!’ “He shouldn’t have to sit through all your ridiculousness by himself. Let him bring a date of his own.”

“But Señora!” Keith stutters. She winks and passes him more food. “Are you not going to question Lance? How did _he_ even get a date? Look at him!” That earns him a pinch from Lance. He pouts and crosses his arms.

“I may look like a burnt chicken nugget but I still love myself.”

 

* * *

 

“You two go in without me. I want to wait for ‘em here.” Keith opens his mouth to argue but Lance cuts him off. “No. I don’t want you to ruin this for me. Besides I’m surrounded by people in the lobby. Don’t worry hermanico.” Keith squints at Lance, looking for any lies under his mischievous smile. When he finds none he turns to Shiro.

“C’mon Shiro. Let’s get our tickets and some snacks.” Keith pulls a laughing Shiro.

“I forget how close you two are. Whenever we hang out as a group, you act so apathetically to his antics.”

“Yeah, that’s why people are always so confused when I explain how we’re brothers. Well, almost-brothers.” Shiro nods.

“I remember. They adopted him as a baby and then you eight years later when your dad passed. Right?” Shiro worriedly looks over at Keith in case he crossed a line.

“Mhm, we grew up in the apartments opposite from each other. We got close and then so did our parents. Guess he came in handy when the fire happened.” Keith looks back at Lance standing alone and texting. Shiro slings his arm over Keith’s shoulders and pulls him flush against him as they walk up to the counter. Keith won’t admit it later, but his eyes sparkled when he looked up at the man comforting him in the simplest way he knew. (if there was a narrator he’d mention that Lance saw the entire exchange between Shiro and Keith and snorted at their obliviousness.)

“Two tickets to The Prodigy please.” Keith’s look of wonder sours at the title. Shiro slides his card to the girl working the counter.

“Sure, pick your seats while I ring you up.” The girl charges the card and pushes other buttons.

“Where do you wanna sit?” Shiro asks innocently, looking at the screen. Keith still stares at him incredulously.

“J10 and 11. It’s an aisle and near the back.” Shiro's eyes widen and then crinkle as he inputs the seat choice. “Why did no one tell me we’re seeing a horror movie. A horror movie about a creepy ass kid no less. Children are scary on their own. When you add demonic possession to that, you get scary shit and _me_ screaming like a little bitch.” Shiro laughs and then grins like a Cheshire cat.

“There's only one thing worse than a rapist.” Shiro starts in a deep voice. “A CHILD,” He breathes in a falsetto voice.

“I’m serious. I’d never watch this,” Keith replies through laughter.

“Do you want to see something else.” The girl hands Shiro his card but he looks at Keith with a look of concern.

“No, it’s fine. I’m paying for the popcorn.” The tickets print and the girl hands them over.

“Theatre twelve. Go up two flights, it's the theater to the right. Don’t forget to present your ID to the guy checking your tickets.” She smiles and turns to the next patrons.

“C’mon let's hurry up then. I want to see the previews, they’re the only thing keeping me going.” Shiro laughs and follows his fiery friend.

“What about me?” Shiro pouts.

“Oh hush you big baby. You know I love you.” Keith freezes on the stairs but tries to cover it and keeps walking nonchalantly to the popcorn counter at the top of stairs.

(if there was a narrator he'd laugh. Keith did not walk nonchalantly, he's incredibly obvious, but Shiro is a dumbass who can't help but stare at Keith's ass)

“Mhm.” Shiro hides his blush by rubbing at his scar.  

 

* * *

 

“You can’t do that.” From his seated position, Lance doesn’t even flinch as Keith threatens him. He’s experienced the same murderous look enough times in his life to be immune to Keith’s bullshit.  ”Don’t open your mouth, tell me you have good chisme, start to tell said chisme and then suddenly decide not to finish telling me because it involves me.” Keith hits the overly decorated kitchen table.

“Do you really want to know? Because I promised I wouldn’t say anything to anyone.” Lance gestures at Keith, only for him to smack each directed motion as he replies in a whispered scream.

“Whoever told you should’ve realized that doesn’t include me!”

“They said not to tell _you_ especially pendejito.” Lance sighed. “Someone asked for my permission and I gave it hesitantly. Take that as you will.” (if there is a narrator he'd want the general reader to know that Lance gestures as if he has long acrylic nails and is extremely expressive in the way he cocks his head.)

“Permission to what marry me? Who the fuck are you talking about?”

“I’m not telling you who has a crush on you but I know them.”

“You know everyone! And I know that you purposely chose to say ‘know’ instead of ‘like’ or ‘close to’ because the group of people you’re close to or like are much smaller than the number of people you know.” Lance laughs so hard his chair titers, making Keith pray to all the saints on the shelves above him to make him fall.

“You know all my secrets Keithy-boy,” Lance says as he gets up from his parents’ table probably to annoy a different sibling of his. “You’re still doing me that favor though.”

“That’s not how this works!” Keith calls out to Lance but he’s already gone. Keith sighs dramatically and slumps over onto the table. “I’m an asshole, who would even like me?” Keith mumbles into the table but sends one last prayer to the shrines around him.  “Be still, my foolish heart.” He whispers. “Don't ruin this on me.”

 

(the narrator, if one such person did exist, would tell you that Keith wished for Shiro. Duh. He'd also ask you not to judge the lyric reference. He has a checklist of cliche things to appear in fics, hypothetically that is. because who's to say he exists.)

 

* * *

 

Once they settle into their seats and put their large bucket and candy in the cup holders, the lights go out and they silence their phones. They hear shuffling behind them and someone taps Keith on the shoulder. The stranger goes to shake Keith’s hand, “Excuse me are you Keith? Hi, I’m-” but they get intercepted by Lance.

“Babe, what are you doing?” He glances from his date to Keith. “Oh, hey Keith. Great! Their seats are in front of ours.” Lance’s date sits down and leans forward.

“Do you two want edibles?” Shiro and Keith turn to look at each other in unison and then turn back to the stranger.

“Yeah sure,” Shiro answers. Keith smiles and shrugs.

“Cool. Here ya go.” They hand Shiro and Keith a strip each of what looks like teal Airheads Extremes but reeks of cannabis.

“Thanks. Cheers Keith.” Shiro holds his piece out to clink with Keith’s.

“Cheers you dork.” Keith laughs but only eats half. Shiro raises an eyebrow and stuffs the entire piece in his mouth. Keith stares at his lips for a second longer than socially accepted.

“Okay well, we’re going to move to the back row. Be safe chiquitos.” Lance stands up and gestures for his date to follow him into the aisle to their left. “Babe c’mon”

“What? Why? These seats are closer to the middle,” Lance’s date replies innocently. Lance gives them a look and gestures towards the back. “Oh. OH! Okay to the back. In the corner. The dark corner in the back. Alone. Gotchu.” Lance’s date stumbles but follows as Lance leads, shaking his head and laughing. The previews soon end and the title credits begin.

“Do you think they're going to do it?” Keith looks at Shiro and starts blinking irregularly.

“I’d bet money on Lance getting head. If he doesn’t, Ima laugh.” Shiro looks at Keith and bites his tongue as if he was going to say more but stopped.

“What? Is something wrong?” Keith’s eyes search Shiro's face for any indication as to why his mood suddenly changed.

“No, pass the popcorn,” Shiro lies. He looks at the screen and winces. “The guy is being shot and it’s just gross.” Shiro extends his hand for the popcorn. He secretly wishes that Keith will hold it instead.

So does Keith.

“Yeah, here you go.” He passes the popcorn and faces the screen. All thoughts of crushes gone, Keith wonders about where Shiro would be right now if Keith hadn’t asked him to come and…

Is the kid possessed? He’s possessed. “Why are you running? _Why_ are you running? Can she not see the knife? Bitch is going to die.” Shiro laughs at Keith’s sudden interest in the film and passes the popcorn back to him.

Keith starts to stuff his face with popcorn because he’s so enraptured by the odd premise of the movie.

“The kid won't kill the dog right?” Keith, with eyes unmoving from the screen, is sitting with his knees at his chest.

“What? No!” Shiro, calm as ever slumps down in his red velvety movie theater chair. “You wouldn’t kill Kosmo.”

“Not his name!” Shiro looks at Keith incredulously. “Besides it’s different. Why does the kid have a knife then?” Keith continues to watch the screen like a hawk.

“Why do you have a dick?” Shiro says as his eyes flit to Keith’s crotch and back to his face.

“I don't know, god thought I was perfect” Keith almost mumbles.

“and he can't make clones” Shiro and Keith say in unison with varied gusto.

“Damn shame,” Keith says to the ceiling as if to scorn the big guy himself. “I want clones of you.” Keith looks at Shiro without any qualms.

“Me too. Pass the popcorn.” Shiro has his eyes on the screen. (if there was a narrator he’d say, frustrated, “why don't they look at each other?”)

“You know what? Fuck it, pass the rest of the edible. Do you feel something?” Shiro answers only with a shrug. “I don't feel shit.” Keith mumbles.

“You haven't screamed like a little bitch yet,” Shiro says as he unravels the napkin with the other half of the gummy.

“That's because every time the kid does some wack shit I think about Lance in the back row” Keith watches the screen to avoid Shiro's eyes and is too careful not to brush Shiro's hand as he passes the rest of the edible.

“Really? Because every time you reach for my hand you miss it and grab my tit.” Keith goes rigid and his ears blush at Shiro’s very true words. However, he doesn't physically do anything until he softens his posture as he thinks “Titty warm. Titty soft.” Maybe the edible did work.

“If that headass bitch had even one of your tits she wouldn't be dealing with the devil,” Keith says aloud.

“That's her son,” Shiro replies.

“Exactly I don't even grab 'em, I put my hand in front as if to protect you. It's a natural instinct, you dumbass.” Just like a mother would if she was in the driver seat for a collision with her child on the passenger side, Keith reaches to the side to grab his precious cargo. ”Have you not paid any attention to the movie?”

“No, my fingers tingle and I don't like horror films with kids.” Keith laughs and fails at muffling it with his fist, there are other people in the theatre besides the one idiot currently preoccupied with a pretty face.

 

As Keith goes to finish the infused candy, Shiro gasps.

“Chris is that a weed!” Shiro whisper yells. Keith smiles and folds the candy into a cylinder shape.

“No this is a crayon.” Shiro struggles to get his phone out of his pocket.

“I'm calling the police.” He opens the calculator and types in 911.

“9-1-1 What's your emergency?” Keith replies in a high-pitched voice. They both laugh obnoxiously and try to shush each other.

Once they finally calm down, Keith leans into Shiro's chair, holds out the edible, and whispers “Do you think this is the good kush?” Shiro replies in a serious, emotionless voice barely keeping a straight face.

“This is the dollar store. How good can it be?”

This time a couple a few rows in front shush the giggling idiots.

The rest of the movie passes with the pining idiots passing candy and popcorn trying not to brush hands each time even with their impaired cognitive functions. Despite the murder, demonic possession, and insane characters; the two giggle. Shiro with his dark humor compares himself to the corpses with a simple “mood” that easily gets Keith to laugh. When Lance’s date gets up and leaves for twenty minutes, they chitter like elderly woman, guessing at what could make the “young suitor” leave their date alone.  Keith critiques the idiotic actions of the family who do all the classic horror movie tropes from the white-woman-walks-into-dark-room-and-says- ”Hello? Who’s there?” to the mom-tries-to-kill-the-demon-but-gets-thwarted-by-a-stranger-trying-to-be-a-samaritan.

What defers, however, from their usual hangouts is that occasionally Keith zones out not because of the high but from what happened before they got to the movies.

 

* * *

 

“Can you believe that he would start that shit?”

“What can I say? I’m back on my bullshit!” Lance lounges on the subway seat too comfortably for Keith's taste. But then again, he is breathing more than Keith wants.

“Shut up Lance,” Shiro says curtly.

“You were never off,” Keith mumbles, looking out the window. His head snaps to face Shiro. “Do you know anything?” Keith narrows his eyes. Lance remains unmoved but Shiro, pobrecito, his left eyebrow is twitching and he gives a weak smile.

“I know nothing. Promise.” Keith’s eyes continue to narrow but Lance stifles a giggle.

“Spill.” Keith starts to slide forward in his seat leaning into Shiro’s personal space, or what little he has left in the L-shaped seats they chose on the A-train.

“Uhh.” Shiro’s eye flit around the subway car looking for something, anything to distract Keith; he goes through a checklist: interesting characters to point out, none; suspicious bags, a chihuahua in a purse won’t be enough; how many stops left, 2 but that’s not getting him to budge; any gossip he has on their friends, bingo! If Lance can’t keep his mouth shut, why should Shiro? “Lance met his date online, has never seen them before, and they’re lowkey a drug dealer.”

“LANCE!” Lance flinches and has the decency to look guilty. “What the fuck? And you wanted me to see a _different_  movie then you! You were going to meet this stranger ALONE! ¿Quieres morir? ¡ Quieres que _yo_ muero! If I had to tell Señ ora that I let _you_ meet a stranger alone on a date and _you_ fucking died or something. My ass would be in trouble! She’d make _me_ reanimate _you_ and then kill _you_ again and then make _me_ suffer a slow death.” Keith is probably exaggerating but he’s seen Lance’s mother angry only once before. She aimed a chancla at his feet but it curved upwards and hit him right in the face. “¡Veya como Dios te va a castigar!”

“Keith!” Lance yells. Two can a play at that game, he decides.

“What!?” Keith whisper screams. There are other passengers after all.

“Keith, Shiro knows who has a crush on you.” Lance flushes out of frustration contrasting with the blushes on Shiro and Keith.

“Taka-”

“Oh look it's our stop!” Shiro struggles out of his seat to the door, avoiding the onslaught of questions. Keith sighs and follows, leaving Lance to sit until the train stops.

“You know that I know that you’ll tell me right?”

“Yeah… But I don’t want to. I know you don’t reciprocate and that you won’t intentionally hurt their feelings.” He pauses then looks at Keith deathly serious. “Is it really better to know? What if it changed how you saw that person? Could you still hold a conversation in the same way you did before? Would you ever let yourself be alone with that person, knowing how they felt? Keith, you’d pull away. You hate being vulnerable. You would struggle to maintain that friendship. You may not want to hurt their feelings, but you’d be uncomfortable. There’s a reason they asked Lance to stay quiet about it.” The doors open, Shiro minds the gap and takes long strides toward the exit much to his chagrin. Keith, dumbstruck, waits for Lance to nudge him out of the subway car onto the platform. Music plays but it doesn’t drown out Keith’s loud thoughts. He runs to Shiro’s side.

“You’re right. I won’t deny that I’m an asshole but I think I should know if it’s that serious.” Keith matches Shiro’s stride but he stops suddenly much to the annoyance of the other bustling city dwellers. Shiro reaches forward to touch Keith’s right cheek. He hesitates and fists his hands at his side.

“You’re a lovable asshole. But sometimes you need to stop being so aloof.” He sighs and continues to the stairs. 

 

* * *

 

When the still possessed kid gets saved, Keith stands up abruptly stumbles and says, “Hell Nah, to the Nah Nah.” Shiro laughs and follows after him through the still dark theatre. Once Keith returns to the bright world he stands by the door and rapidly types on his phone. He turns it sideways just as Shiro catches up.

“Are you watching a bunny compilation?” Shiro questions, arms awkwardly clutching the popcorn bucket and their bags.

“They’re soft and innocent. Look at him. I want him. He wouldn’t kill me.” Keith whimpers at the screen. “That wasn’t a bad movie but I wish there was a satisfying ending. I don’t a happily-ever-after moment but I don’t know I need something to restore my faith in humanity.” Shiro hums a reply.

“I can’t give you that but I can tell you the gossip from earlier,” He says with a nervous smile.

“Are you sure? That’s not the weed talking right?”

“No, I decided to tell you a while ago and was trying to work up the nerve to tell you.” Keith leans in as Shiro whispers into his ear, “Subscribe to T-series.” Keith screams and then laughs whole-heartedly.

“You’re an asshole,” Keith says once he finally catches breathe. “Are you gonna tell me or not?”

“It’s hard,” Shiro pouts.

“Harder then you thought?” Shiro nods. He sighs and squares his shoulders.

“It’s just that I really like you and I wouldn’t want to mess up what we have already. You’ve helped me out so much since we met. I was in a bad place. Maybe we both were. And you saved me.” Keith softly smiles.

“We saved each other.” Keith grabs Shiro’s hand. “But I need you to tell me this one thing Shiro.”

“Keith.” He hums. “You’re not listening.” Shiro pulls his hand from Keith’s grasp. “I like you. I could love you.”

“I know. You’re my best friend.” Keith looks confused. “I love you.” He blushes.

Lance walks out the door, mumbles "These idiots," and then pulls his date right back into the theatre to give them privacy. Shiro stretches and groans.

“Keith. I asked Lance for permission. I know you don’t feel the same. It’s fine but I felt like I had to tell someone and Lance was there.” Keith rounds his lips into a look of understanding and just nods. Shiro stares at Keith waiting for some kind of answer.

It comes in the form of a strained high-pitched voice saying, “So you have romantic,” his voice cracks and he coughs. “feelings for me. Your best friend and resident asshole. Okay.”

“Okay?! That’s it” Shiro deflates. “You’re not going to go off or get mad at me?”

“No.” Keith shuffles his feet and looks down. ”I did say I loved you right? What if I say it to make that easier to hide that I also really like you.”

“I would ask if I-” He’s cut off by his phone ringing. “Hold on.” He pulls it out only to see his ex’s contact on the screen. Keith gasps.

“ADAM!” They both laugh. Shiro silences his phone and puts it away.

“Can you to kiss already? I wanna go grab something to eat before we head back,” Lance calls peeking his head out from behind the door. Keith flips him off. “Yeah love you too.” He turns to his date. “Let’s see if I go to their fucking wedding now.” Shiro and Keith blush.

“Do you have anywhere to be later?” Shiro asks. “Would you want to go on a date with me? A real first date. Not us supervising Lance’s exploits.” Keith laughs.

“I’m free the rest of the day,” Keith pauses and makes a sly face. “Babe.” Shiro melts and pulls Keith through the exit of the movie theater.

“In that case, I’m treating you to whatever you want.  I’m fucking starving.” Keith giggles and runs to keep up with Shiro as he pulls him down the sidewalk into the bustling city.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Here are the translations... if I missed one oops
> 
> 1\. Señora - technically the equivalent to Mrs. but here it's used instead of mother/mom/etc as a sign of respect  
> 2\. Mijito - my son (literally)  
> 3\. ¿Y la misa? - And mass?  
> 4\. Probablemente - probably  
> 5\. El novio - the boyfriend  
> 6\. hermanico - it's a diminutive for the word for brother so basically bro  
> 7\. chisme - gossip  
> 8\. pendejito - the diminutive for the word meaning dumbass (kinda)  
> 9\. ¿Quieres morir? ¡Quieres que yo muero! - Do you want to die? You want me to die!  
> 10\. ¡Veya como Dios te va a castigar! - Watch how God will punish you! (i touch it from all the times my mother has said it and I know it probably should be Mira but its an irl quote so I said fuck it and kept it.)


End file.
